News Archives - End Fuel Poverty Coalition

Public demands Government help to end exposure to energy price shocks

British households want to break free from the cycle of fossil fuel price shocks for good, with new polling showing that the ongoing conflict with Iran has prompted more than a third of adults to increase their interest in new technologies to cut their bills and reduce their exposure to volatile global markets.

Research by Survation for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition finds that 35% of the public have become more interested in home energy technology since the Iran conflict began. Of these people, 45% are now more interested in getting solar panels on their roofs, 36% would like more home insulation, 35% are more interested in the new plug in solar option and 26% are now more interested in getting a heat pump.

But with 60% saying such options are simply too expensive, the public is calling on the Government to act, with 71% wanting grants for insulation and 68% seeking support for solar panels and heat pumps.

With 83% of the public worried about energy bills and 44% saying they would be unable to afford the expected £228 annual increase in energy bills from 1 July, 73% want to see targeted support for households and 67% want to see help for all households with energy bills.

Heating Oil and LPG customers have already seen the cost of energy increase and as price rises loom for even more households from 1 July, a majority of the public (64%) believe that the energy industry is profiteering from the conflict in Iran and a majority say that ending the Windfall Tax now would be the wrong thing to do.

Simon Francis, End Fuel Poverty Coalition coordinator said:

“The public has had enough of history repeating itself. They want to protect themselves from oil and gas price shocks for good, and the Government has both the means and the mandate to help them do it.

“Energy firms made £125bn in profits on their UK operations over the last five years and companies like BP are already expecting bumper profits from the fresh crisis. The Windfall Tax revenue raised by the Treasury should be going further to help households cut their bills for good.

“The Government’s Warm Homes Plan is the right vehicle, but now is the moment to make it even more ambitious and to ensure it comes with a guarantee that every upgraded home will see energy efficiency improve and bills come down.”

Three-quarters of the public (76%) hold Donald Trump responsible for energy bill increases set to hit UK households, while 65% also blame the energy industry directly. The anger runs deep enough that 63% of respondents agree the increases amount to a Trump Tax on their bills.

Robert Palmer, Deputy Director of Uplift, added:

“People know they’re being hit with a Trump Tax, plain and simple. We’re facing higher energy bills, rocketing fuel prices and more expensive mortgages.

“Our dependence on fossil fuels is making all of us poorer. All except for the oil and gas bosses and their shareholders who – once again – are set to cash in at our expense.

“Now Trump is demanding that the UK doubles down on drilling. But we can’t drill our way out of this crisis. More drilling won’t take a penny off our bills, and would have no meaningful impact on the UK’s supply of gas. We’ve burned most of what was in the North Sea already.

“The only way to insulate ourselves from these risks is to press on with renewables, like wind, and upgrade our homes with solar power and heat pumps, so we can free ourselves from oil and gas and ensure we have a liveable planet. And this polling shows the public gets this, even if Donald Trump doesn’t.

“The Government needs to help people who want to upgrade their homes and have more control of their energy bills, as well as billpayers who are going to struggle.

“This is a Trump Tax, plain and simple. It’s likely to be a painful economic hit to the UK with higher energy bills, rocketing food prices and more expensive mortgages.”

ENDS

Survation were commissioned by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition to interview 2,047 people from 2-7 April 2026. Data were weighted to the profile of the UK. Data was weighted by respondent’s sex, age, region, household income, highest qualification, and past vote (GE24, EU16).

Research tables can be downloaded here.

Eight in ten people fear rising bills as voters back energy Windfall Tax

The majority of the public are worried about rising energy costs as a result of the conflict with in Iran, according to new polling by Survation for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition.

83% of the public are worried about energy bills and 44% say they would be unable to afford the expected £228 annual increase in energy bills from 1 July.

A quarter of these respondents claim they would be “completely unable to pay my energy bill” if costs rose to this level.

As energy bills are set to rise, a majority of the public (64%) believe that the energy industry is profiteering from the conflict in Iran.

Over half (53%) of the population say that ending the Windfall Tax now would be the wrong thing to do (just 22% felt that it should be ended) as some industry groups have called for.

More generally, 41% of the public support the Windfall Tax on energy firms, compared to just 17% opposing it. Meanwhile, almost half (47%) believe that windfall taxes should actually be extended to more companies within the energy industry.

A windfall tax is an additional tax applied when companies make unusually high profits, often due to external factors rather than increased productivity or investment.

Support for the Windfall Tax remains among voters from all parties, according to the data. Among those intending to vote for Reform UK in the next general election, 39% support the Tax with just 24% opposing it. For those thinking of voting Conservative, 44% still support the Levy and 19% oppose it.

Among Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat voters, support is even stronger – as is support for extending the taxes to other sections of the industry.

Backing for the Windfall Tax was also strong in all areas of the country, with people in Wales polling the strongest support for the Levy. Earlier detailed polling in Scotland had shown 41% backing the Tax with 19% opposing it, but the new data suggests that this support has deepened with 44% now in favour of the Levy.

Recent figures have shown that the energy industry made £125bn in profits on their UK operations in the last 5 years and in the month since the conflict in the Middle East began, the share prices of energy companies have soared adding over £233bn to the market capitalisation of firms and resulting in a boost in the wealth of energy firm bosses.

Simon Francis, End Fuel Poverty Coalition coordinator said:

“Trump’s attacks on Iran, the damage to Qatari gas production and the disruption to supplies has led to spikes in the costs of heating oil and gas.

“But while households will feel the effects of this for months to come, the energy industry will continue to benefit from increased prices and a fresh wave of excess profits.

“Not only is the Windfall Tax vital in raising revenue to help those most affected from high energy bills, but this must also be the moment that the country unites to push for more support for energy efficiency measures and boosts renewable energy plans to bring down bills and secure our energy supply for the long-term.”

Robert Palmer, deputy director of Uplift said:

“Politicians calling for an end to the windfall tax just as the oil and gas giants are about to make billions in bumper profits are tone deaf.

“Instead of siding with the profiteering oil industry, political parties should be standing up for billplayers who are facing a steep Trump Tax on everything from their energy bills, to petrol and food.

“Last time, when Russia invaded Ukraine, oil companies didn’t invest their windfall profits in more drilling, instead executives and shareholders got windfall payouts. The government needs to tune out the barrage of special pleading by the oil firms and their political cheerleaders, and focus on real solutions to this crisis.

“The only way to bring down energy costs over the long term is to get off our reliance on oil and gas, and invest as fast as we can in renewables. More North Sea drilling will not take a penny off our bills, only boost the profits of fossil fuel companies.”

ENDS

Questions cited in the news story (some totals will not sum to 100% due to rounding, sample sizes in Northern Ireland are below 50 and should not be taken as representative)

An Energy Profits Levy (EPL) or ‘Windfall Tax’ was levied on oil and gas companies operating in the UK in May 2022 in response to record oil and gas industry profits and the rapid increase in energy costs following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It is due to be in place until 2030. Do you support or oppose, or neither support nor oppose, the current windfall tax on oil and gas company profits?

Strongly support: 20%
Tend to support: 21%
Neither support nor oppose: 26%
Tend to oppose: 9%
Strongly oppose: 8%
Don’t know: 16%

	Total	Voting Intention
	Total	LAB	CON	RFM	LD	GRN	OTH
Strongly support	19.77%	27.43%	19.27%	15.02%	28.16%	20.25%	19.21%
Tend to support	21.34%	25.40%	24.44%	23.82%	33.60%	23.49%	12.85%
Neither support nor oppose	26.42%	25.42%	29.44%	26.48%	19.82%	22.46%	26.61%
Tend to oppose	8.94%	9.66%	10.07%	12.22%	7.24%	8.09%	7.49%
Strongly oppose	8.05%	5.60%	8.68%	11.62%	1.78%	7.51%	8.11%
Don’t know	15.48%	6.49%	8.10%	10.84%	9.41%	18.20%	25.72%
NET: Support	41.11%	52.83%	43.71%	38.83%	61.76%	43.74%	32.07%
NET: Oppose	16.99%	15.27%	18.75%	23.84%	9.02%	15.60%	15.60%

	Total	Region
	Total	London	South	Midlands	North	England	Scotland	Wales	Northern Ireland
Strongly support	19.77%	18.64%	20.93%	15.61%	17.62%	18.65%	24.55%	22.06%	35.86%
Tend to support	21.34%	27.41%	19.77%	21.47%	19.47%	21.19%	19.49%	25.48%	24.59%
Neither support nor oppose	26.42%	25.28%	29.91%	26.95%	27.42%	27.94%	20.17%	20.47%	8.62%
Tend to oppose	8.94%	11.65%	7.72%	9.64%	7.82%	8.72%	10.89%	4.71%	17.09%
Strongly oppose	8.05%	8.30%	7.46%	7.62%	8.41%	7.88%	8.90%	8.21%	10.33%
Don’t know	15.48%	8.71%	14.21%	18.72%	19.25%	15.61%	16%	19.07%	3.51%
NET: Support	41.11%	46.05%	40.70%	37.07%	37.09%	39.84%	44.04%	47.54%	60.45%
NET: Oppose	16.99%	19.95%	15.18%	17.26%	16.23%	16.60%	19.79%	12.92%	27.42%

“It would be wrong to scrap the Windfall Tax now.”

Strongly agree: 24%
Somewhat agree: 28%
Somewhat disagree: 14%
Strong disagree: 8%
Don’t know: 26%

	Total	Voting Intention
	Total	LAB	CON	RFM	LD	GRN	OTH
Strongly agree	24.22%	31%	20.69%	24.95%	29.22%	31.93%	20.74%
Somewhat agree	28.44%	32.61%	38.78%	28.27%	33.37%	22.77%	24.39%
Somewhat disagree	13.98%	14.10%	13.22%	19.03%	10.82%	11.77%	11.66%
Strongly disagree	7.79%	7.40%	5.35%	8.05%	8.53%	8.73%	6.96%
Don’t know	25.57%	14.90%	21.97%	19.70%	18.07%	24.80%	36.25%
NET: Agree	52.66%	63.61%	59.47%	53.22%	62.58%	54.70%	45.13%
NET: Disagree	21.77%	21.50%	18.56%	27.08%	19.34%	20.50%	18.63%

	Total	Region
	Total	London	South	Midlands	North	England	Scotland	Wales	Northern Ireland
Strongly agree	24.22%	25.73%	27.10%	21.52%	18.35%	23.42%	29.51%	26.40%	29.01%
Somewhat agree	28.44%	33.39%	25.43%	28.81%	29.63%	28.46%	23.80%	32.63%	34.61%
Somewhat disagree	13.98%	15.86%	11.76%	16.61%	13.68%	13.85%	14.51%	9.51%	24.13%
Strongly disagree	7.79%	8%	7.95%	8.78%	7.67%	8.04%	6.22%	6.66%	6.85%
Don’t know	25.57%	17.01%	27.75%	24.28%	30.67%	26.23%	25.96%	24.80%	5.39%
NET: Agree	52.66%	59.13%	52.54%	50.33%	47.99%	51.88%	53.31%	59.03%	63.62%
NET: Disagree	21.77%	23.86%	19.72%	25.39%	21.34%	21.89%	20.74%	16.17%	30.98%

Which of the following statements best describes your view?

Energy companies are profiteering from the conflict in Iran: 64%
Energy companies are not profiteering from the conflict in Iran: 15%
I don’t know: 21%

Which of the following comes closest to your view?

Windfall Taxes should be extended to more companies within the energy sector: 47%
Windfall Taxes should not be extended to more companies within the energy sector: 21%
Don’t know: 32%

How concerned are you about the potential rising costs for the following due to the conflict in Iran, if at all? – Energy bills

Very concerned: 55%
Somewhat concerned: 28%
Not very concerned: 8%
Not at all concerned: 4%
Don’t know: 5%
NET, concerned: 83%
NET, not concerned: 12%

Some predict average energy bills to increase by £228 per year in July. If your energy bill were to increase by this amount, which of the following statements best reflects your view?

I would be unable to afford this energy bill price increase: 44%
I would be able to afford this energy bill price increase: 38%
Don’t know: 15%
Prefer not to say: 3%

In the previous question you said that you would be unable to afford this energy bill price increase.In a scenario where your energy bill increased by £228, which of the following statements best reflects your view?

I would have to cut back on essential goods to afford to pay for my energy bill: 49%
I would be completely unable to pay my energy bill: 25%
I would have to cut back on luxury goods to afford to pay for my energy bill: 15%
I would be unable to afford this energy price increase, but I will not cut back on any spending to be able to pay for my energy bill: 9%
Don’t know 2%
Prefer not to say: 1%

Energy rich list reveals bosses whose fortunes surge as bills soar

The bosses of some of Britain’s biggest energy companies have seen their personal fortunes surge by millions of pounds as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

Analysis of shareholdings declared in annual reports and share price movements between 26 February and 27 March 2026 shows how energy chiefs may have benefited from the crisis, even as millions of households brace for a sharp rise in bills.

Among them, Harbour Energy’s Linda Z Cook saw the value of her shareholding rise by more than £4 million to £26 million.

Harbour accounts for around 15 per cent of the UK’s domestic oil and gas output and has been led by American Cook since 2021. Prior to leading the firm, which she owns almost 9 million shares in, Cook spent much of her earlier career at Shell.

Meanwhile Shell’s Wael Sawan added nearly £1.8 million to take his stake to £13.2 million. Sawan joined Shell as an engineer in 1997 and spent the early part of his career in Oman before rising through the ranks to lead Shell’s operations in Qatar, including overseeing its liquefied natural gas division.

At Centrica, Chris O’Shea saw the value of his shares rise by over £300,000, even as the British Gas owner’s boss told the BBC this month that higher household bills were “inescapable” and had previously said that it was “impossible to justify” his salary and rewards package.

At BP, incoming chief executive Meg O’Neill only took the reins on 1 April, but interim boss Carol Howle saw her shares grow by over £500,000 during the period. Departed chief executive Murray Auchincloss, who held more than 1.8 million shares at the time of his departure, could have seen his stake rise to £10.6 million at current prices.

The picture is even more dramatic among the global giants whose share prices have been supercharged by the Middle East conflict.

Chevron chief executive Michael Wirth saw the value of his near two-million-share stake rise by more than £44 million in a single month, taking his total holding to more than £312 million.

ExxonMobil’s Darren Woods added over £5 million to sit at more than £40 million, and TotalEnergies chief Patrick Pouyanné’s stake now stands at £39 million. Equinor, the Norwegian state-backed firm that supplies much of the gas the UK depends on, saw its shares rise more than 45 per cent, adding nearly £700,000 to the personal stake of chief executive Anders Opedal.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said

“There are very few winners from the conflict in the Middle East, and most of those are the wealthy oil and gas bosses who help set the prices we all pay for our energy.

“But while these fossil fuel chiefs argue for more drilling in the North Sea and count the profits they will make from any new exploration, millions of UK households are facing the prospect of spending more than a tenth of their income just to keep the lights on and the heating running.

“Politicians must show whose side they are on: the households struggling with energy bills, or the millionaires calling for an early end to the Windfall Tax on North Sea profits.”

The figures come as wholesale gas prices remain at levels not seen since 2023. Average household energy bills are forecast to rise to £1,929 from 1 July 2026, a 18 per cent increase on the current cap.

Separate End Fuel Poverty Coalition data shows that energy firms have already made more than £125 billion in profits on their UK operations since 2020. At current energy prices, the Government stands to collect substantial additional tax revenue via the Energy Profits Levy.

The Coalition has called on the Government to direct that revenue towards households trapped in energy debt and those who will suffer most from a sharp rise in bills as a result of the conflict.

Caitlin Boswell, interim Deputy Director at Tax Justice UK said

“Different parts of the economy are set to make eye-watering paydays as they spot opportunities for profiteering from the US-Israeli war on Iran and immense human suffering, while ordinary people see their energy bills sky-rocket.

“That’s why the Chancellor should urgently implement excess profits taxes on energy, defence and banking sectors – called for by wider civil society – to send a clear message that the UK won’t accept profiteering from war and crisis.

“This needs to be coupled with tax system reform that ensures the massive asset price rises, like stocks in energy companies, are taxed fairly. Failing to do so will see stock price explosions channel enormous sums of money to the pockets of the super-rich, while millions in the UK are made more vulnerable to the cost of living crisis.”

Deputy director of Uplift, Robert Palmer, added:

“It’s appalling that while millions are worrying over their energy bills, we are seeing energy barons rake in millions of profits. One North Sea CEO has seen their wealth increase £4 million since the start of the Iran conflict – that’s an extra million a week.

“What’s more these companies are using this crisis to call for even more drilling in the North Sea. This would not take a penny off bills, but would lock us into an unaffordable energy supply for longer and just increase oil company profits even more.

“The oil and gas industry has been clear that the only way they would consider investing in the North Sea now, an ultra-mature and high cost basin, is if the government removes the windfall tax, which is shameful. We need political leaders who put bill-payers before billionaires and not give in to their demands.”

The data also shows that 12 of the world’s biggest energy companies added more than £233 billion in combined market value in a single month. Market capitalisation is one of the most widely used measures of a company’s overall financial health and the confidence investors place in its future earnings.

When market capitalisation rises sharply, it signals that financial markets expect the company to generate significantly higher profits in the coming months and years. Over the same period (26 February to 27 March 2026), the general FTSE 100 Index of leading UK share prices has fallen by nearly 9%.

Jonathan Bean, Fuel Poverty Action spokesperson, said:

“The Government must act urgently to stop more obscene energy profiteering from war, which will leave millions unable to afford the essential energy they need. Windfall tax loopholes must be removed and fair wealth taxes introduced.”

ENDS

All shareholding valuations are derived from closing share prices on 26 February and 27 March 2026. All non-UK currencies have been converted using the mid-market rate as per the relevant date. Being featured on this list or in this news story does not imply any wrongdoing on the part of companies or individuals and all share allocations have been made in line with standard remuneration packages.

Full data is available here (pdf).

Sources for shareholdings

Linda Z Cook / Harbour Energy

Harbour Energy Annual Report and Accounts 2025, Directors’ Remuneration Report

https://www.harbourenergy.com/media/a11hxbdn/harbour-energy-annual-report-accounts-2025_web.pdf

Wael Sawan / Shell

Shell Annual Report and Accounts 2025, Directors’ Remuneration Report

https://www.shell.com/investors/results-and-reporting/annual-report.html

Chris O’Shea / Centrica

Centrica Annual Report and Accounts 2025, Directors’ Remuneration Report

https://www.centrica.com/media/ckfb0qxj/annual-report-and-accounts-2025-untagged.pdf Page 101

Carol Howle and Murray Auchincloss / BP

BP Annual Report and Form 20-F 2025, Directors’ Remuneration Report. Shareholding figures based on position as of 13 February 2026.

https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/investors/bp-annual-report-and-form-20f-2025.pdf

Darren Woods / ExxonMobil

ExxonMobil SEC Filing, April 2025

https://investor.exxonmobil.com/sec-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001193125-25-073986/0001193125-25-073986.pdf

Patrick Pouyanné / TotalEnergies

TotalEnergies Universal Registration Document 2025. Shareholding figure as of 18 March 2026.

https://totalenergies.com/system/files/documents/totalenergies_universal-registration-document-2025_2026_en.pdf

Michael Wirth / Chevron

Chevron Proxy Statement 2025

https://www.chevron.com/-/media/shared-media/documents/chevron-proxy-statement-2025.pdf – Page 110

Anders Opedal / Equinor

Equinor Remuneration Report 2025, shareholding as of 31 December 2025

https://cdn.equinor.com/files/h61q9gi9/global/a2b3945f550c9cd7f2e3e6085fc84d84e97fdb0b.pdf?2025-remuneration-report-equinor.pdf

The data was compiled by freelance business journalist David Craik. David’s experience has included writing business and city news and features for national newspapers and magazines such as The Daily Mirror, Sunday Times, Wall Street Journal, Scotsman and Daily Express. The data was peer reviewed by a former Bloomberg economist with expertise in the energy sector.

North Sea profits spike should be used to offset energy bill rises

North Sea energy firms are set to make bumper profits, which would lead to increased revenues for the Government under the Windfall Tax, according to new figures reported exclusively in the Mirror.

Fossil fuel costs surged again late last week as attacks on energy sites in Iran and Qatar were followed by threats from US President Donald Trump to “massively blow up” a key Iranian gas field.

The data shows that for every month that energy prices remain at levels seen on 18th March 2026, profits from these prices could result in over £200m in revenue through the Energy Profits Levy. If prices stayed at this level, this would result in annual income of over £2.4bn. [1]

If combined with additional offshore corporation tax revenue on energy firms’ profits, the totals increase even further to £427m a month or £5.1bn a year. [2]

While the Ofgem energy price cap is set to fall slightly from April 2026, rising wholesale gas prices mean bills will rise sharply again from 1 July. Some households are already feeling the impact of rising costs. Off-gas households relying on heating oil have reported refill prices doubling in recent weeks, LPG customers are facing rising prices and some heat network customers could soon face steep increases as energy supply contracts expire.

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has recently asked the Government to prepare an emergency energy support framework to protect households from rising gas and oil prices which will filter onto energy bills [3].

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said:

“Anyone still arguing against the Energy Profits Levy should hang their head in shame. Whenever oil and gas prices spike, energy industry profits rise while households are left to face higher bills, deeper debt and impossible choices.

“It is only fair that these windfall profits help households who will suffer as a result of the increases in energy bills.

“Our message to ministers is simple. Help the hardest-hit households first and be ready to move fast if this crisis gets worse. That means urgent support for off-gas homes and heat network customers, targeted bill cuts if prices rise again, action on energy debt and stronger winter protection.

“It would protect people now while longer-term reforms bring bills down for good.”

Since 2020, energy firms have already made more than £125bn in profits on their UK operations.

In Scotland, recent polling showed that voters across the political spectrum backed the Windfall Tax on energy profits in its current form. Frazer Scott, Chief Executive of Energy Action Scotland, commented:

“The current crisis shows that energy companies continue to make excessive profits at the expense of people. People who cannot heat their homes to a safe level and are burdened by £5.5bn of unrepayable domestic energy debt. Until there is reform that puts people at the heart of the energy system it is right for big business to put its fair share back to help those that need it most.”

Uplift Deputy Director Robert Palmer, said:

“Billpayers didn’t ask for this war and are now facing a huge Trump Tax on petrol, mortgages and food, with sky high energy bills looming once the current price cap ends. Yet once again, as we saw in Ukraine, oil and gas companies are profiting from what is a humanitarian crisis.

“The extra billions they stand to make from the crisis should be taxed and used to support people through the economic pain that’s on its way. Ultimately the only way to bring down bills over the long term is to get off our reliance on oil and gas, and invest as fast as we can in renewables.”

Jonathan Bean, spokesperson for Fuel Poverty Action, said:
“Instead of the £300 bill saving the Government promised us, we now face a £300 bill jump from July. The Government failed to fix the market after the 2022 crisis, so we’ve been left vulnerable to price spikes. The Prime Minister needs to get a grip on the obscene profiteering from war, close windfall tax loopholes, and bring down our bills.”

ENDS

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition brings together more than 100 charities, health organisations, housing groups, trade unions and consumer bodies working to end fuel poverty across the UK.

[1] OBR March 2025 ready reckoners (fetched 17 March 2026), applied to OBR March 2026 EFO baseline prices. Prices assumed: $100 barrel for oil and 130p/therm gas. This calculation was made before the additional spike in prices caused by the attacks on Iranian and Qatari gas facilities on 19th March, so the figures could be higher if current prices are sustained. .

[2] Prior to the latest escalation in prices and before the OBR updated its ready reckoners on the 17th of March analysis for Granville Partners, a consultancy firm run by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s ex-chief of staff estimated the total extra tax revenue at £2.7bn. This could now be at the lower end of expectations and may not be directly comparable with the analysis above.

[3] The Coalition’s proposals focus on targeted support for households most exposed to high energy costs, while retaining the ability to expand support more widely if the crisis deepens.

The immediate measures recommended include a new, longer-term, Alternative Fuel Support Scheme for households relying on heating oil, LPG and other off-gas-grid fuels, as well as support for heat network customers who face rising commercial energy prices.

The proposal also recommends preparing a targeted reduction in energy unit rates from July if the Ofgem price cap rises significantly, alongside faster rollout of a national energy debt relief scheme to address record levels of household debt.

For the winter, the Coalition is calling for reforms to existing schemes including further expansion of the Warm Home Discount and strengthening Cold Weather Payments so support reaches vulnerable households earlier.

Ministers are also urged to speed up reform to electricity pricing and prepare a scalable universal support package that could be activated quickly if energy prices spike further.

The Coalition says the proposals are designed to complement longer-term policies such as the Government’s Warm Homes Plan and Clean Power Plan, which aim to reduce energy bills permanently by improving energy efficiency and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Government urged to prepare emergency energy bill support

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has written to ministers urging the Government to prepare an emergency energy support framework to protect households from rising energy bills as global fossil fuel prices remain volatile.

In a new policy proposal sent to the UK Government, the Coalition warns that the current gas and oil price crisis could see millions of households in fuel poverty if bills increase again from July.

While the Ofgem energy price cap is set to fall slightly from April 2026, rising wholesale gas prices mean bills could rise sharply again this summer. Early projections suggest the average annual bill could increase and, as a result, the Coalition estimates that around 13 million households will be left spending more than 10% of their income on energy, with c.5 million spending more than 20%.

Some households are already feeling the impact of rising costs. Off-gas households relying on heating oil have reported refill prices doubling in recent weeks, LPG customers are facing rising prices, while heat network customers could soon face steep increases as energy supply contracts expire.

The Coalition’s proposals focus on targeted support for households most exposed to high energy costs, while retaining the ability to expand support more widely if the crisis deepens.

Ministers are also urged to speed up reform to electricity pricing and prepare a scalable universal support package that could be activated quickly if energy prices spike further.

However, campaigners warn that households still need protection from price shocks in the meantime.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said

“Millions of households are still recovering from the last energy crisis, with record levels of energy debt and many already struggling to afford their bills.

“The risk is that we see another wave of fuel poverty driven by the oil and gas price crisis caused by Trump’s war in the Middle East.

“This is history repeating itself and rather than making snap decisions, the Government should establish an emergency support framework now, so households know what support can be expected.

“Reducing energy price spikes benefits the whole country. It helps limit inflation, reduces pressure on household finances, prevents worsening fuel poverty and cuts the health impacts associated with cold homes.

“This support should be funded fairly. Energy companies and other parts of the energy industry make huge profits during periods of price volatility, so it is only right that windfall taxes and excess profits are used to help protect households from another energy price shock.”

Maria Booker, Head of Policy, Fair By Design, commented:

“The Government must use the next two and a half months to design an emergency support package that is both effective and fair. Support should be carefully targeted towards those who need it most and funded in an equitable way.

“This shock is yet another reminder of why the Government must accelerate progress on data‑matching capabilities so that support can be better targeted.

“Ultimately, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and transitioning to clean power generated here in the UK, will mean we are not at the mercy of global energy shocks like this in future.”

Uplift Deputy Director Robert Palmer said:

“Everyone in the UK is going to pay the price if this reckless conflict continues via a ‘Trump War Tax’ that could add thousands of pounds to people’s bills.

“We risk seeing higher energy bills, more expensive petrol, pricier mortgages and bigger food bills. It’s good to see some immediate support from the government on heating oil and it’s crucial that the government provides further support if it’s needed on bills.

“The UK must also plan for the long term. What we need is to ramp up the shift to renewable power so we have cheaper energy, secure supply and a cleaner environment. Oil and gas profiteers, who stand to make billions out of the Iran crisis, should pay their share of any financial help.”

Morgan Vine, Director of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age said:

“It is clear that support is needed for older people in financial hardship who are understandably anxious about what the fuel crisis could mean for them. With over half of older people on a low income already finding it a struggle to keep up with their energy bills, many are already making tough choices, not turning the lights on at night, heating only one room even in the depths of winter, or washing in cold water.

“Older people on low incomes can’t afford to absorb any more costs; they’re already at breaking point. The UK Government must take comprehensive action now to protect everyone on a low income from sky-high energy prices.”

Jonathan Bean, spokesperson for Fuel Poverty Action, said:

“Any emergency support must recognise that electric-only homes face much higher unit prices than oil and gas households due to our rigged energy market.

“The Government must urgently break the link between gas and electricity which allows firms to inflate the price of cheap renewable energy.

“The Prime Minister must also get a grip on the huge profits that already make up £500 of the average energy bill. If the Government was serious about bringing down our bills, they would work with Ofgem to cut profits and pass the savings back to us.”

Susie Elks, Senior Policy Advisor on the UK Power System at E3G commented:

“In spite of this crisis, the government must continue to resolve the challenges which are increasing some of the underlying drivers for bills. They must lower the cost of ‘hidden taxes’ on bills, which add £11bn to households and business energy bills.

“They must solve the energy debt crisis, which is adding £50-£70 to every household’s bill.

“They must find a way for us to modernise our energy networks, which have been chronically underinvested in, whilst managing the costs to households.”

Ian Preston, Director of Development and External Affairs from the Centre for Sustainable Energy commented:

“Another fossil fuel price crisis, when many households still haven’t recovered from the last one, underlines the urgent need to support households to switch to heat pumps powered by homegrown renewable energy generation as quickly as possible. But, in the meantime though, bill payers, especially those reliant on oil or LPG, need bill support to stay warm this coming winter.”

The End Fuel Poverty Coalition brings together more than 100 charities, health organisations, housing groups, trade unions and consumer bodies working to end fuel poverty across the UK.

The full proposal has been shared with ministers and officials and the Coalition has offered to meet with the Government to discuss how the measures could be implemented.

ENDS

The full proposals can be read here.

Fuel poverty calculations are extrapolations using analyst forecasts of average energy bills and based on the data compiled in 2025 https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/fuel-poverty-statistics-show-12-million-households-struggling/

Scottish public back the energy Windfall Tax in new poll

Twice as many people in Scotland (41%) support the Windfall Tax than oppose it (19%), with support cutting across all political parties and across all parts of the country, according to new polling. [1]

The Windfall Tax (Energy Profits Levy) was levied on oil and gas companies operating in the UK in May 2022 in response to record oil and gas industry profits and the rapid increase in energy costs following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In recent days, wholesale energy costs have surged 30% year on year as a result of conflict in the Middle East and sit at levels last seen in winter 2022/23. [2]

Energy firms have seen their share prices rise over 7% in the last month (compared to the FTSE 100 rise of 0.43%). This includes North Sea operators who have lobbied heavily to scrap the windfall tax. [3]

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition said:

“Despite the intense lobbying by the oil and gas industry – and their political allies – the Windfall Tax retains the support of the public.

“It’s no surprise that twice as many Scots are in favour of the tax than oppose it and nearly a fifth say that they strongly support the measure.

“As long as people see the disparity between their own living conditions and the huge profits made by energy firms, this support will continue.”

The survey, carried out by Survation, spoke to over two thousand adults in Scotland in a poll that reflects the political make-up of the nation’s voters.

It revealed that Scottish voters from all parties supported the windfall tax.

Support for the windfall tax is highest among people intending to use their Holyrood list vote for the SNP (48%), Labour (53%), Liberal Democrat (61%) and Green (47%). Conservative and Reform UK voters were more likely to support the tax than oppose it (Conservatives 37% support, 34% oppose; Reform UK 32% support, 30% oppose). Similar results were found among constituency voting intention.

Frazer Scott, Chief Executive of Energy Action Scotland, commented:

“Energy companies continue to make excessive profits at the expense of people. People who cannot heat their homes to a safe level and are burdened by £5.5bn of unrepayable domestic energy debt. Until there is reform that puts people at the heart of the energy system it is right for big business to put its fair share back to help those that need it most.”

Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said:

“People aren’t daft; they know that the companies that have polluted our politics and plundered our planet shouldn’t be let off the hook for the spiralling climate destruction they continue to cause.

“Energy giants have racked up years of eye-watering profits. Politicians must ensure they pick up more, not less of the tab for the shift to a clean energy future instead of leaving hard pressed Scots and communities globally facing famine and floods to foot the bill. Fossil fuel companies helped light the fire, continue to fuel it, so it’s only fair they help pay to put it out.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland oil and gas campaigns manager Rosie Hampton commented:

“With the conflict in the Middle East, energy companies could again be making the windfall profits that have caused the cost-of-living pain and suffering in the last five years. People will be rightly worried about household energy bills soaring again as greedy oil giants capitalise on the violence.

“We must not forget that this tax will go to supporting the NHS, educating children and protecting our environment so any politician calling for the tax to end are demanding less support for vital public services.”

Previous End Fuel Poverty Coalition research found that just a handful of energy firms have made around £40 billion in UK profits in the last two years, even with the Energy Profits Levy in place.

The Government has committed to phasing out the tax by 2030 to be replaced by a new tax regime for the sector.

ENDS

[1] Survation asked over 2,000 Scots:

Fieldwork Dates Fieldwork: 10th February – 17th February 2026
Full details are available from the Survation website.
FULL RESULTS
- Strongly support the Windfall Tax 19%
- Tend to support 22%
- Neither support nor oppose 27%
- Tend to oppose 11%
- Strongly oppose 8%
- Don’t know 13%
- NET: Support (Strongly+Tend to) 41%
- NET: Oppose (Strongly+Tend to) 19%
- Weighted total: 2005 respondents
Method – The survey was conducted via Online Panel. Different response rates from different demographic groups were taken into account.
Population Sampled: Adults aged 16+ in Scotland. Sample Size 2,005.
Data Weighting: Data are weighted to the profile of Scotland. Data was weighted by respondent’s sex, age, region, and past vote (2014 referendum, 2016 referendum, 2021 Scottish parliamentary election, 2024 general election). Targets for the weighted data are derived from the ONS.
Margin of Error Because only a sample of the full population was interviewed, all results are subject to margin of error, meaning that not all differences are statistically significant. For example, in a question where 50% of respondents (the worst case scenario as far as margin of error is concerned) gave a particular answer, with a sample of 2005 it is 95% certain that the ‘true’ value will fall within the range of 2.33% from the sample result. Subsamples from cross-breaks will be subject to higher margin of error. Conclusions drawn from crossbreaks with very small sub-samples should be treated with caution.
Polling available to download as an .xls here.

[2] Trading Economics Data as at 6 March 0900. https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/uk-natural-gas

[3] Profits data from https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/news/energy-firm-profits-tracker/.

Share price data from Bloomberg 6 March 0900, data as at close of business on 4 March. 10 energy firms listed on London Stock Exchange are monitored through a watchlist and prices compared to 8 February. These firms represent a mix of producers, suppliers, traders and supply chain in both fossil fuel and renewable sectors. Within this, specific surge examples include Ithaca Energy (+15%), Harbour Energy (+13%) and BP (+4%) all rising strongly in the immediate aftermath of the American / Israeli attacks on Iran. Harbour rose from 242.4 on 25 Feb to 274.8 on 3 March. Ithaca 213.5 to 245.5. BP 470.25 to 488.20.

Energy bills set to fall 7% from 1 April under Ofgem price cap

Ofgem has announced that the average household energy bill will fall by 7% from 1 April 2026.

The impact of the year-on-year changes could see the number of households paying more than 10% of their income on energy fall from 13.2m to 11.2m.

However, the changes will see energy bills remain £599 (57%) above winter 2020/21 and £73 (5%) above what they were on 1 July 2024.

Significant changes to unit costs and standing charges will take effect from 1 April 2026 and initial analysis suggests some households will see much bigger reductions than others.

A low usage household will see their bill reduce by around £80, while high usage households might see a £140 saving.

Using data from Scope and Mencap, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition has calculated that those reliant on energy for disability or health needs could see even greater savings, but will still experience a 64% ‘energy poverty premium’ with a typical bill much higher for these groups.

It remains unclear when and how energy firms will start to reflect these changes in the rates they advertise. The Government is expected to make a further announcement next month.

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said:

“Government decisions are starting to make a difference and today’s fall in the price cap will bring some welcome relief to households who have been under intense pressure from high energy costs.

“But, of course, bills remain hundreds of pounds above pre-crisis levels and for millions of families in cold, damp homes this will not feel like the cost of living crisis is over. If the country is going to tackle energy affordability for good, this must be the start of deeper reform, not the end of the job.

“That means bearing down on excessive market trading costs, dealing with the growing mountain of energy debt, taking a hard look at how infrastructure costs are recovered from households and doing more work to reduce exposure to volatile gas prices.

“At the same time, the energy industry and its ultimate owners, including hedge funds and overseas investors, must continue to face scrutiny for the healthy profits made at the expense of households

“With the changes to both unit rates and standing charges still working through the system, consumers may need to be cautious about rushing into fixed deals right now. Bill payers may want to wait for the dust to settle and carefully check their specific usage to ensure any switch delivers the maximum savings.”

Hannah Wall, Community Heat & Energy Lead at climate charity Possible, said:

“Lowering the energy price cap by removing levies from customers’ bills is a welcome step forwards to support people who have been struggling with high bills. But far too many people are still living in energy poverty, and face impossible choices to keep their homes warm.

“Energy bills remain significantly higher than they were before the energy crisis, driven by soaring gas costs. The structure of our energy system still leaves us exposed to volatile fossil fuel prices. It’s unfair that our electricity bills continue to be tied to global gas markets, creating a distortion that makes it harder for people to switch to clean electric heating, which should be cheaper than dirty gas.

“We need faster action from the government to deliver promised reforms to the electricity market to ensure everyone can afford a warm home powered by clean, climate-friendly heat and energy.”

Independent Age chief executive Joanna Elson, CBE, said:

“Today’s energy price cap announcement will provide some brief respite for the older people in financial hardship, as a typical household energy bill is dropping by almost seven per cent to £1,641 from April.

“However, energy bills are still extremely high, and the older people on low incomes we support are seeing their budgets stretched beyond breaking point.

“This winter has been brutal, we have heard dreadful accounts of people in later life sitting in cold, dark homes, or cutting back on other essentials such as food so they can turn a radiator on.

“This poses a health risk to older adults and cannot be allowed to continue happening.

“There are immediate and long-term actions the UK Government can take to support people on low incomes who cannot afford to heat their homes.

“The recent Warm Home Discount extension was welcome, but at £150, it does not go far enough in supporting those in financial hardship.

“We want to see it increased to £400 to match the high cost of energy bills.

“Targeted bill support is also needed in the form of an energy social tariff that protects customers on low incomes from future spikes in costs.

“If the UK Government is serious about tackling the cost of living and raising living standards, it should take meaningful action to lift people out of fuel poverty.”

Jonathan Bean from Fuel Poverty Action, commented:

“Customers should not be fooled: energy bills are still £600 higher than 5 years ago, meaning the suffering will continue for millions of us.

“Up to £500 of our bills is energy firm profits which means that Ofgem and the Government are failing to protect us.

“We especially need a fairer deal on electricity pricing which is four times higher than gas, despite wind and solar energy being cheaper.”

James Taylor, director of strategy at Scope, added:

“Life costs a lot more if you’re disabled. The need to run lifesaving equipment or keep the heating on year-round means bills continue to be steep.

“We’re calling on Ofgem to do much more to protect disabled customers, and for the government to introduce a discounted energy deal for disabled people.”

Uplift Deputy Director Robert Palmer said:

“This is welcome news for millions of households as it shows the UK is starting to turn a corner on energy bills.

“Weaning ourselves off volatile gas is the only real long term route to affordable energy bills and last year we generated record-breaking amounts of renewable energy, with wind power cutting the wholesale cost of electricity by almost a third.

“Compare this to America where Donald Trump is blocking renewable energy and doubling down on fossil fuels, and electricity bills are rising.

“Today’s Price Cap shows we’re on the right path. It’s not just our bills that are benefitting from more renewables, our planet will too. This is a change that cannot come soon enough as already we’re seeing the impacts of climate change caused by our oil and gas dependency and the costs it imposes on everyone, whether that’s flooded homes and businesses or rising food prices.”

Three years on – the forced prepayment meters scandal remains unresolved

More than three years after the forced prepayment meter scandal first broke, households are still facing forced entry into their homes under a court system now itself under formal investigation.

The 1st February 2026 marked the third anniversary of the Times‘ undercover investigation into British Gas. The Ofgem investigation into the firm is still ongoing with the regulator unable to confirm when it will be completed.

Campaigners continue to call for a full ban on forced PPMs until the justice process is proven to be transparent, lawful and safe.

What are “forced prepayment meters” (PPMs)?

Forced prepayment meters are installed when an energy supplier uses a court warrant or remote smart-meter switching to move a household onto pay-as-you-go energy without their consent, usually because of debt. When credit runs out, energy supply stops, leading to “self-disconnection”.

Key ongoing concerns

Lack of transparency: warrants approved in private, limited records, no public scrutiny.
Bulk processing: large batches approved together, sometimes after only a small “sample” was reviewed.
Procedural failings: reports of errors being found in some applications but the rest being approved regardless.
Risk to vulnerable households: including disabled people, those on the Priority Services Register and people living in cold, damp homes.
Regulatory delay: Ofgem’s British Gas investigation remains unresolved almost three years on.
Ongoing harm: energy debt remains at record levels, with PPM households at highest risk of self-disconnection.

Timeline

Before 2022

Forced PPM installations and warrant use were routine but largely hidden from public view.

2022

Media investigations reveal the scale of forced PPM installations and mass court warrants (4th December, the i). Evidence emerges of magistrates’ courts approving bulk applications with minimal scrutiny. Public and political concern grows over forced entry into homes of vulnerable customers.

Early 2023

The scandal escalates after reporting (1st February, the Times) exposes the practices of major suppliers, including British Gas.

Energy firms agree to a voluntary pause on forced PPM installations which campaigners say doesn’t go far enough.

Ofgem launches compliance reviews and enforcement investigations.

Mid–late 2023

As the public calls for a ban on forced PPMs and fresh concerns about energy firm behaviour toward vulnerable households are raised in the media, new “safeguards” and court processes are developed.

Ministers are accused of a dereliction of duty as a public consultation on the issue by Ofgem is overwhelmed with responses.

While formalised Ofgem rules replaced the voluntary commitment from 8 November, campaigners warn that a “cloak of secrecy” remains around warrant hearings and that the system risks repeating past failures.

2024

Some suppliers are allowed to resume forced installations under revised rules.

Ofgem announces redress and compensation schemes, but major enforcement cases continue.

2025

Energy debt reaches new highs.

Ofgem’s investigation into British Gas remains unresolved, now approaching three years.

Fresh reporting by journalists reveal that large batches of warrants are being approved. In some cases hundreds of warrants were authorised after only a small “sample” was reviewed and even when errors were identified in some applications, the rest were approved in bulk.

Following these revelations, the Chief Magistrate launches a formal review of the warrant process in England and new calls for a legislative ban on the process are made to Ministers.

Anne McLaughlin, the former SNP MP for Glasgow North East, led much of the Parliamentary pressure on the issue. She called the ongoing scandal “utterly ridiculous” and said:

“The fact that forced installations are still happening while both the courts process and Ofgem’s original investigation remain unresolved shows how little confidence there can be in the current system.

“The regulator has been painfully slow in investigating one of the worst culprits and as time drags on, memories fade and the people affected by the scandal are still to see justice done.”

Simon Francis, coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, commented:

“It is beyond belief that more than three years after the forced prepayment meter scandal first broke, families are still facing forced entry into their homes under a court process that is now itself under formal investigation.

“No one should be pushed onto a prepayment meter, or threatened with a warrant, simply because they are struggling to pay their energy bills.

“Until the Chief Magistrate’s review is complete and the system is proven to be transparent, lawful and safe, all forced prepayment meter installations must stop.”

Frazer Scott, CEO, Energy Action Scotland, said:

“It is unbelievable and inconsistent with high standards of consumer protection that it has now taken 3 years to investigate the behaviour of British Gas.

“In cases of suspected wrongdoing it should act swiftly to ensure that people are not put at risk. Many vulnerable people remain at risk of a forced installation until all outstanding investigations are concluded.

“9 energy suppliers have resumed forced prepayment meter installations. Others may yet restart. It is a worrying time for those in debt to their energy supplier, debt that stands at over £4.5bn.

“Consumer protection should be at the beating heart of the energy regulator, it needs to do more.”

Jonathan Bean, Spokesperson from Fuel Poverty Action, added:

“Forced prepayment meters are inhumane and dangerous. Disconnecting people from essential heating and power when they are short of cash is the exact opposite of energy security. Ofgem continues to fail in its statutory duty to protect us.”

ENDS

More background information available here: https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/about-fuel-poverty/forced-pre-payment-meter-transfer/

https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/tag/ban-forced-ppms/

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/check-energy-suppliers-can-install-prepayment-meters-without-household-permission

Fuel poverty fight enters a new phase as hard work on Warm Homes Plan begins

The Government’s new £15bn Warm Homes Plan has been welcomed as a potential breakthrough in tackling cold, damp housing, cutting energy bills and slashing carbon emissions.

But campaigners have warned that the Plan [pdf] must avoid the failures of previous schemes, remain focused on helping those most in need, and be backed by strong consumer protections and reform of the wider energy system.

The Plan is built around three main pillars:

Targeted support for low-income households: with £5bn in grants to fund insulation, heat pumps, solar panels and batteries.
Universal loan offers: low- and zero-interest finance for any homeowner to access rooftop solar, heat pumps or battery storage.
New protections for renters: including upgraded energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector.

The Plan is necessary to help address the long-term health impacts of living in cold damp homes and the 12.1m households who struggle with energy bills.

Andrew McCracken, Director of External Affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, explains: “Living in a cold, damp or mouldy home puts people at increased risk of developing serious lung conditions and can cause life-threatening asthma attacks and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

“Poor housing is a key determinant of lung health, so with survey data showing that more than one in five people with lung conditions are living in cold or damp housing, it’s little wonder the UK has the highest rate of deaths from lung disease in Europe.”

Simon Francis, Coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, added: “The lifeblood of the Plan amounts to a rescue mission for the coldest, dampest homes in Britain – and this must be the priority. Combined with long-overdue improvements to conditions in the private rented sector, it could save lives, cut NHS costs and permanently slash energy bills for those in fuel poverty.”

So while campaigners have praised the cross-government approach to tackling fuel poverty and the Warm Homes Plan’s ambition, many have warned it must be properly implemented and locally led.

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork UK’s Chief Executive, said: “There’s much to commend in the Warm Homes Plan. We particularly welcome the worst-first approach, the area-based model and the emphasis on local job creation. This is the right long-term strategy but we know it won’t solve the problems of acute fuel poverty and energy debt overnight. We also know that, without additional support, those living in more vulnerable or challenging circumstances may not benefit.”

Kate Meakin, director of Energise Sussex Coast, warned: “Insulating homes is a permanent solution to end fuel poverty… However, if this Plan is to avoid past failures, there must be a mandatory requirement for real-world performance to be monitored after installations are complete – as well as a Warm Homes Guarantee that ensures that every household that receives support actually sees their bills come down.”

The Warm Homes Guarantee, proposed by the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, is built around quality advice on the right installations to deliver, enhanced consumer protections and a promise that every upgraded home will see bills come down. As Graham Duxbury explains, we “would like to see up-front community engagement to ensure widespread take-up and post-installation support to ensure householders gain the full benefit of any measures installed.”

Jonathan Bean from Fuel Poverty Action also highlighted the “catastrophic failures” in the defective ECO4 and GBIS schemes, urging the Government to support households affected while also boosting skills training.

Joanna Elson, Chief Executive of Independent Age also warned that while the development of the Warm Homes Agency has the potential to significantly improve access information and advice about upgrading homes to bring down energy bills, this should not be overly reliant on digital tools: “It is essential that there are national and local services that are accessible to them, including for the digitally excluded.”

Others welcomed minimum energy efficiency standards for private rentals, but raised red flags over key exemptions. Niamh Evans of the Renters Reform Coalition said:

“The Government’s choice to lower the cap on landlord spending from £15k to £10k means many tenants stuck in some of the worst insulated homes will be left in the cold and their landlords won’t be required to bring up to EPC C. We’re also concerned that the government has still not set out plans to protect renters from rent increases or evictions following upgrades linked to the scheme.”

Members of the Coalition suggest that spend caps for landlords make little sense and should at least take account of inflationary pressure and cost disparity in different locations.

Joanna Elson added: “Older people with a lower income are more likely to live in rented homes of a lower value and at lower standards. These decisions may leave some of those most at risk continuing to pay more to keep their home warm or force them to go without warmth entirely. We are urging the UK Government to ensure that homes that need the most improvement benefit fully from the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard.”

Meanwhile, experts also highlighted the need for wider reforms to work alongside the Plan and the newly published fuel poverty strategy.

Tessa Khan, executive director of Uplift, said: “A Warm Homes Plan is desperately needed, with world events once again highlighting the UK’s vulnerability from our over-reliance on gas for heating. We can no longer bank on the North Sea because, after 50 years of drilling, the UK has now burned most of its gas.

“Ending this dependency, by ensuring our homes are more energy efficient – particularly for those on lowest incomes – and powered by renewable energy, is both pragmatic and the right thing to do for ensuring we have affordable energy.

Chris Galpin, Senior Policy Advisor at E3G, said: “Stronger building efficiency standards will be life-changing for many renters – slashing their bills by hundreds of pounds a year, as well as keeping their homes drier and healthier. But more still needs to be done to protect households with electric heating, who are twice as likely to face fuel poverty as other households.”

Frazer Scott from Energy Action Scotland added that while the Plan needs to be clearer about what funding is UK and what is devolved, the announcement was also “another lost opportunity to at least signal consideration of a social tariff for energy users.”

Therefore, while the Plan and the fuel poverty strategy bring together many long-standing policy asks, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition is now developing the next steps required to ensure it fulfils its potential, this includes:

Full transparency on funding: distinguishing new investment from previously announced budgets and clarity on devolved settlement.
Action on electricity pricing, to make electric heating cost-competitive and fair.
Robust standards, consumer protections and oversight through a Warm Homes Guarantee to avoid a repeat of past failings.
Increase the landlord spending cap to £15k, safeguards to stop landlords fiddling with Energy Performance Certificates, a prevention of rent increases or evictions due to improvements and a robust defence of the proposed policy in light of likely lobbying from landlords’ groups.
More interim financial support, such as Cold Weather Payments reform, Warm Home Discount extension and energy debt relief (over an above the latest proposals from Ofgem) while upgrades are rolled out and a long term social tariff is developed.

ENDS

Ministers urged to halt forced prepayment meters amid secret court hearings concerns

Campaigners have written to the Government and Ofgem demanding an immediate new pause on forced prepayment meter installations, after fresh revelations that magistrates’ courts are continuing to approve bulk warrants through secret hearings.

In a letter sent to the Minister for Energy Consumers, the Minister for Courts and Ofgem’s Chief Executive, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition warns that households are still being subjected to forced entry and involuntary meter installations despite the scandal that first emerged more than three years ago.

The intervention follows recent reporting by journalist Tristan Kirk revealing that magistrates are routinely sitting in private and approving large batches of energy company warrant applications without examining individual cases. In some instances, courts reportedly approved hundreds of warrants after reviewing only a small “sample”, even when errors had already been identified.

The letter notes that these concerns have now prompted the Chief Magistrate to launch a formal review of the warrant system. However, the End Fuel Poverty Coalition has suggested that allowing forced installations to continue while the court process itself is under investigation leaves households at ongoing risk.

“These secret court hearings effectively punish households simply because they are struggling to pay their energy bills,” the letter states. “Many of those affected are already living in cold, damp homes and facing record levels of energy debt. Continuing forced action under a system now acknowledged to be under review is indefensible.”

The Coalition is calling for an immediate and comprehensive pause on all forced prepayment meter installations and warrant-based forced entry until:

– The Chief Magistrate’s investigation is completed and published in full

– Transparency is restored to the court process

– Ofgem concludes its long-running investigation into British Gas and affected customers are fully compensated

– Clear, enforceable protections are in place to prevent further harm.

A spokesperson for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said:

“It is extraordinary that more than three years after this scandal first broke, families are still being dragged through secret court processes that even now appear to lack basic safeguards.

“We now have confirmation that the Chief Magistrate is reviewing how these warrants are being issued. The only responsible response is to pause forced prepayment meters immediately, until that investigation is complete and the system is shown to be lawful, transparent and safe.

“No household should face forced entry into their home because they are in energy debt, especially when the process authorising that entry is itself under serious question.”

The Coalition also raised renewed concerns about the continuing delay in Ofgem publishing the outcome of its enforcement investigation into British Gas, which was launched following the original forced PPM scandal and has now been running for almost three years.

ENDS

The letter can be read online as a pdf.

More on the history and background of the Forced PPMs scandal: https://www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/about-fuel-poverty/forced-pre-payment-meter-transfer/